July 19 - Race Report

Monday, 20 July 2009 09:30

Seymour, July 19 - Following a lousy week of cold, wet, windy weather, Mother Nature again brought her racing gear and provided an excellent night for racing Sunday at the Seymour Speedway. A field of 146 vehicles, which included 18 Badge Racing Motorcycles, was signed in for a full night of action on a smooth fast track.

The IMCA Sport Mod feature started with a caution for a spin by the leader and a second lap red for a 5 car pile up on the back chute with a rollover. No one was injured in any of the mishaps. When the green finally stayed out, Brad Lautenbach powered into the top spot and opened a slight lead over Brandon Long, Jamie Schmidt, Johnny Whitman, Clint Forstner and Troy Jerovetz. Schmidt and Whitman ran a side by side battle for second leaving Lautenbach an opening to open his lead. A lap 11 caution for contact between the pair erased the lead and put Forstner into second followed by Travis Van Straten, Rod Solem, Tim Jorgenson and Jerovetz. Van Straten moved into the runner up spot on lap 14 and moved alongside the leader. For the final 8 laps, Van Straten hounded the leader, but Lautenbach fended off the challenges and despite have the right rear spring break out of the car out of the final turn, which almost sent both cars into the wall, picked up his first Seymour Speedway division feature win. Van Straten, Forstner, making his first run here this season, Jorgenson, Solem and Jerovetz round out the top six.

Bob Czarapata settled into the lead of the Street Stock main from the opening lap and set the pace until Jeremy Wiitala slipped by after a lap 4 caution. David Hoerning moved into the runner up spot on lap 8 and the two frontrunners pulled away from the rest of the pack.

White Wiitala and Hoerning battled for the top spot, Czarapata was holding off the charges of Joe Schwister and point leader, Todd Everard. Wiitala was able to hold off the heavy pressure to claim his second straight feature win with Hoerning right behind in second. Czarapata ran to his best finish in awhile holding off Everard and Schwister for third. Mert Summers rounded out the top six.

Tim Van de Hei and Scott Boyea ran side by side for the opening couple laps of the Budweiser IMCA Modified main with Van de Hei holding the edge. Eric Mullen wrestled the top spot away on lap 5 with Van de Hei staying tight to the inside and Mullen running outside. A final caution on lap 9 allowed Jerry Wilinski to pull up on the leaders and move into second behind Mullen. Benji LaCrosse, Brian Mullen, Jason Czarapata, Van De Hei, Mike Wedelstadt put on a show through the pack running three and four wide over the last half of the race while Mullen and Wilinski had their own battle for the lead. Mullen was running the inside and Wilinski was using the outsider line. Mullen was able to hold the challenger at bay, but with 3 laps remaining, Wilinski was able to inch ahead. Wedelstadt charged on the outside to race for second and moved up on Wilinski with 2 laps left. Wilinski was able to hold off the final effort and claimed his first ever Seymour Speedway division feature win with Wedelstadt alongside in second. Mullen held third with LaCrosse, point leader, Brian Mullen and Czarapata rounding out the top six.

Barry Van Straten led the opening two circuits of the IMCA Stock Car main before losing the car in turn 2 collecting Devon Snellenberger and Paul White.

Brian Ambrosius inherited the lead, but for only 2 laps before Darren Otto pulled into the top spot with John Heinz right behind. Heinz was running inside and Otto outside. Heinz was able to take the top spot with Otto staying right alongside for the final 14 laps of the race. The lead went back and forth with the battle for third behind the pair. Chaz Van Ooyen, Jr, point leader, Shawn Wagner, Jeremy Christians. Ambrosius and Kyle Frederick were in a tight pack behind.

Over the final 3 laps, Otto made his charge and was able to inch ahead of the Heinz. Into the final turns, Otto was able to make the car stick on the outside and was able to take his first win if the season by a half car length at the finish line with Heinz second. Wagner won the battle for third with Christians, Van Ooyen and Frederick rounding out the top six.

The 4 Cylinders ran a caution free event to close the night with Jon Duesing in front for the first lap and Sam Ambrosius the leader on lap 2. Josh Vogel powered into the lead on lap 3 with point leader, Kevin Birr following into the runner up spot. The battle for the lead was tight until late in the contest when Vogel was able to pull ahead a bit and win his second straight feature. Birr was second with Ralph Liegeois taking third. Logan Sobieck, Calvin Stueck and Duesing rounded out the top six.

The Badger Racing Association Motorcycles made an appearance in preparation for their full racing program on Friday August 14 during the Motorcycle Swap meet and Show at the fairgrounds. Adam Bushman of Oak Creek picked up the feature win.

There will be no racing at the Seymour Speedway next week because of the Outagamie County Fair. Racing will return on Sunday August 2.